Feed-water heater.



) PA TENTED JAN. 1, 1907. I. E. PROGTOR)" FEED WATER HEATER APBLIOATION FILED SEPT.14,1906.'

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JOHN E. PROCTOR, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FEED-WATER HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed September 14, 1906. Serial No- 334,681.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. PROOTOR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and: useful Improvements in Feed-Water Heaters and Circulators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of devices by means of which the feed-water is superheated by conducting it through the firebox of the boiler while on its way into the boiler; and theinvention consists in the novel arrangement and'connections of a heatingdrum with the boiler and boiler-feeding devices, all as more fully hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing invention as applied to a locomotive-boiler provided with the usual feedinjector. tion through the fire-box of the boiler. Fig. 3 is a modification of parts of Fig. 1, herein after more specifically referred to. Fig. 4 is a section through the automatic valve shown in Fig. 3.

A represents a locomotive-boiler in its con ventional form, having the usualfire-b'ox B, surrounded upon its sides by the usual water-legs O.

D represents a feed-injector having the starting-handle E and connected with the steam-supply pipe F and water-supply pipe G and a delivery or feed pipe H, extending from the injector alongside the boiler and provided with a stop-valve I, all arranged and operated in a wellknown manner in which injectors are used for boiler-feeding purposes.

According to my invention I place a drum 1 within the fire-box, close to the side thereof, adjacent to the pipe H and in a substantially upright position, preferably slightly inclined forwardly, as shown, so that it will be exposed to a maximum of the direct heat from the burning fuel. The upper end or top of this drum I connect by a pipe 2, which passes out through the water-leg of the firebox and thence rearwardly below the feedpipe, with the pipe H at a point 8, which is intermediate between the stop-valve I and the injector. This top connection of the drum is provided with a stop-valve 4 and a check-valve 5, the latter permitting the flow Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sec,

of the water in the direction of the arrow shown on pipe 2. The bottom or lower end of the drum is similarly connected by a pipe 6 with the pipe H at a point 7, which is between the stop-valve I and the delivery end of the pipe II. From this bottom connection 6 a branch pipe 8 leads into the water-space of' the boiler at or near the bottom thereof, preferably into the water-leg in rear of the lire-box, and this branch pipe is provided with a check-valve 9, which permits the flow of the water in the direction of the dotted arrow. Another branch pipe 10 leads from the check-valve and the drum. This branch through the pipe 10 by the pressure of the feed-water exerted upon one side of the diaphragm through a connection 13 with the pipe 2 at a point intermediate between the stop-valve 4 and check-valve 5..

The operation of the device is as follows: The pipes 2 and 6 with the drum form a bypass around the valve I in the feed-pipe. The valve I being normally closed and the valve 4 normally open the discharge from the injector or other boiler-feeding appliance when in operation will force its way through said by-pass into the boiler, and thus become superheated on its passage through the drum. Upon shutting down the operation of the boiler-feeding appliance the valve 11 will be opened and a circulation of the water in the boiler will take place by way of the pipes 8 and 6, drum 1, plpes 2 and 10, the flow of this water being in the direction of the dotted arrows shown in Fig. 1. The circulation takes this direction by reason of the water in the drum being exposed to the direct heat of the fire, and the water in the top of the boiler will thus be maintained in a more heated condition and the boiler will steam more freely, making a saving'in fuel and preventing any a injury to the drum and its connections from the heat. These connections lead through the water-legs of the boiler through a tube, as shown in Fig. 2.

ere it is not expedient or advisable to operate the valve 11 by mechanical connection with the injector, an automatic valve of some suitable construction is employed, such as the diaphragm-valve shown in Fig. 3, which is automatically operated by the pressure of the feed-water exerted through the branch pipe 13 upon one side of the diaphragm, causing the valve-plug 14- to close the mouth of the pipe 10 where it enters the valve-casing.

In one respect it has the advantage over valve 11, in that it automatically reestablishes the circulation in the boiler whenever the injector should break without being shut down.

My device forms a mere attachment to the ordinary boiler-feeding appliance, and in its practical installation 1 place stop-valves and union connections (not shown) wherever needed to permit the drum and its connections, which are all accessiblylocated, to be readily removed for repair if anything should get out of order, the usual boiler-feeding appliance (whichmay be an injector, as shown,

or its equivalent, a ump) remaining intact and serviceable at al times.

My device is of simple construction, it is calculated to effect a large saving of fuel, and

'it works perfectly automatic.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is c 1. The combination with the boiler and feed-pipe connecting it with the appliance for feeding the boiler and provided with a stop-valve of a drum in the fire-box located at one side thereof in a substantially vertical position, pipes separately connecting the top and bottom of said drum with the feed-pipe on opposite sides of its stop-valve, the pipe leadinginto the top of the drum provided with a stop-valve and a check-valve, a branch pipe connecting the pipe which leads from the bottom of the drum with the water-space of the boiler at or near its bottom and provided with a check-valve and a branch pipe connecting the pipe which leads into the top of the drum at a point between its checkvalve and the drum with the water-space in the boiler at or near the top thereof and'a valve in said branch pipe controlled by the operation of the boiler-feed appliance to close and open said pipe.

2. The combination with the boiler and feed-pipe extending alongside the boiler and connecting it with the ap liance for feeding the boiler, of a drum in t e fire-box located near the side wall thereof adjacent to the feed-pipe and extending in a substantially vertical and forwardly-inclined position,

pipes separately connecting the top and bottom of said drum with the feed-pipe, said pipe passing through the sides of the fire-box and extending below the feed-pipe alongside the boiler, a stop-valve in the feed-pipe between the points of connections of the aforesaid pipes with the feed-pipe, a stop-valve and a check-valve in the pipe leading from;

the feed-pipe into the top of the drum, a branch pipe from the pipe which connects from the bottom of the drum into the water- -space of the boiler at or near the bottom thereof and provided with a check-valve and La branch pipe from the pipe which connects with the top of the drum into the water-space of the boiler at or near the surface thereof,

said branch pipe provided with a valve the o iening and closing of which is controlled by t e operation of the feed appliance of the boiler.

3-. The combination with the boiler, of an injector having a discharge-pipe leading into the boiler and provided with a stop-valve, a

drum in the fire-box, top and bottom connections between the drum and feed-pipe forming in connection with the drum a bypass around the stop-valve in the feed-lpipe, the top connection being provided wit a stopvalve and with a check-valve, and branch pipes from said top and bottom connecting with the water-space of the boiler at or near the top and bottom thereof respectively, that from the bottom connection being provided with a check-valve and that from the top connection with a valve operated by mechanical connection with the starting mechanism of the injector.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. PROOTOR. Witnesses:

OTTo F. BARTHEL, CHARLES B. SHUMWAY.

ICO 

